Wire-fence lock.



No. 778,773. P'ATENTED DEC. 27, 1904. 0. A. BROWN &-R. 0. KERR.

WIRE FENCE LOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. an, 1904.

afLBH-"ourn Qvihmomo U ITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904-.

PATENT OFFICE.

COLLINS A. BROIYN AND ROBERT (J. KERR, OF READING, MICHIGAN.

WIRE-FENCE LOCK.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 778,773, dated December 27, 19 04.

Application filed April 28, 1904. Serial No. 205,390.

To n/ZZ 117mm [1 m/rty concern:

Be it known that we, COLLINS A. BROWN and Ronnn'r O. KERR, citizens of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in ire- Fence Locks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wire-fence locks of that kind for connecting fence runners and stays at their points of crossing to prevent relative displacement thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide a lock of this character which may be cheaply manufactured from sheet metal, which is formed in such manner as to obviate splitting or breaking of the portions thereof when bent to engage a runner and stay, and which may be readily and conveniently applied to rigidly connect the runner and stay together and to form a practically simple and waterproof connection.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front elevation showing a fence runner and stay connected at their point of intersection by a lock embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a face view of the lock-plate, showing the normal position of the plate for application to a runner and stay; and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the plate disposed at an angle to the position shown in Fig. I to more clearly disclose its general shape or configuration.

The lock 1 is stamped up from a piece of sheet metal and comprises a substantially square plate provided in each of its sides with a semicircular notch or recess 2, producing a body portion 3, adapted to lie against one side of the parts to be connected, and wings 4:, adapted to fold diagonally toward the center and in rear of said body portion to engage the rear surfaces of the runner and stay and lock the same together. The lock as thus constructed has, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 4, substantially the shape of a Greek cross.

In the manufacture of the lock the metal is stamped up at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the grain thereof, and the semicircular recesses or notches 2 are so disposed that the wings 4 will bend at approximately the same angle to the grain of the metal, thus preventing the lock from breaking or splitting off with the grain of the metal when the device is applied for locking the runner and stay of a fence together.

In the application of the invention it will be understood that the locks may be applied to the runners and stays of the wire fence in a loom during the process of making the fence fabric or applied to the elements of the fence structure during the process-of setting up the fence. In this latter operation the body portion 3 is laid against one side of the parts to be connected, with the notches 2 disposed in registering relation to such parts, and then the wings a are bent backward against the opposite side of said parts until they fold to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that the edges of the wings approximately abut and form a substantially closed surface embracing one side of the runner and stay, while the body portion 3 embraces the opposite side, the arms 4: being disposed between the stay and runner and effectually prevent relative movement thereof. The lock may be applied by means of dies or a speciallyconstructed pair of pincers, and when connected in the manner described will form a tie which is neat and attractive in appearance and will to a large extent exclude water from the joint.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction maybe employed without departing from the princi- I00 ple or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v In a wire-fence lock, the combination of crossing strands, and a device locking said strands together at their point of intersection, said device comprisingasquare plate provided ineach of its four sides with notches toreceive said strands, forming a lock-plate having the general form of a Greek cross and comprising a body portion and bendable wings, said body portion being arranged to bear upon one side of said strands, and said wings being bent radially through the spaces between the strands over upon the back of the opposite sides of the strands and plate and having their edges approximating, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

COLLINS A. BROWVN. ROBERT C. KERR.

Vt'itnesses:

GEO. E. TERIENING, H. F. DOTY. 

